Small hive beetle

Small hive beetle is native to South Africa and may also occur in subtropical and tropical parts of Africa.  

It has been found in 17 widespread locations throughout the USA and may also inhabit other temperate areas. The adults are broad, flattened beetles, about 5–7 millimetres long, and are dark brown to nearly black.  

The larvae are elongated, whitish grubs, which can be seen to have rows of spines on the back when viewed under magnification.  

Adults and larvae inhabit bee hives where they feed on stored pollen and honey. The burrowing beetles damage combs and kill the brood. As the infestation grows, the honey ferments and bubbles out of the cells, smelling like decaying oranges.  

Honey supers removed and stored by the beekeepers can also be infested during storage, prior to the honey being extracted.  

Bees abandon heavily infested hives but the larvae continue to feed on the honey. The larvae pupate in the ground and this makes control of the small hive beetle difficult. Feral bee colonies can also become infested. Control measures have so far been unsuccessful.  

The beetles can feed and develop normally and complete all life cycle stages on fruit such as avocado, cantaloupe (melon or cucurbit family) and grapefruit. The beetle also feeds on bananas, pineapple, grapes and mango. Used equipment or comb honey could spread the pest. 

Small hive beetle poses a serious threat to honey bee colonies by damaging combs and causing honey to ferment and spoil. The stress from small hive beetle can weaken the bees, sometimes leading to colony abandonment. In severe cases, heavy infestations can result in the complete collapse of the colony. Effective monitoring and management of small hive beetle are essential to protect and maintain healthy bee colonies. 

Signs of small hive beetle include:

• numerous larvae burrowing and tunnelling in brood and honeycomb cells  
• adult beetles may not be easily observed
• honey weeping from comb where cell walls and caps have been pierced by the activities of the larvae
• darkened honey due to contamination of faeces deposited by the larvae
• fermentation and frothing of honey in hives or in combs of honey stored in honey houses with an odour similar to decaying oranges are typical signs of infestation. Fermented honey may drip and collect on the hive bottom board or the honey house floor 
• trails of fermented honey left on the floor by larvae that crawl from stored honey super boxes as they try to reach the soil to pupate  
• when a hive is opened, the adult beetles usually run quickly from the combs and hide in the darker areas, especially the rear of the bottom board. 

Beekeepers should regularly check hives for the presence of small hive beetle. The following steps should be undertaken: 

• Remove the lid and place it on the ground upside down. Place the super box on top of the lid and leave it for about a minute. Lift the super off the lid and look for the beetles. Beetles will move quickly away from the light when the hive lid is opened.  
• If no beetles are seen, remove brood combs one at a time, examine all surfaces and place each frame outside the hive. Continue until all frames have been examined and the brood chamber is empty.  
• Examine the floor of the brood chamber, looking at the back or rear corners of the bottom board where the beetles hide from the light.
• If the bottom is not attached, remove the brood chamber and examine the bottom board. The beetles will tend to move quickly from the light.  
• Beetles can be picked up using fine-tipped tweezers or your fingers. Place them in a sealed container until dead. 
• Check the super boxes and frames for infested larvae, particularly those that have been removed for extraction.  
• Adult beetles can be found in debris surrounding the hive floor or in dark areas.  
• During cooler temperatures beetles can be found in the honey bee clusters.